evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv 

-ˈvȯlv, 

ē-

also -ˈväv

or -ˈvȯv

evolved; evolving

transitive verb

1

: emit

2

a

: derive, educe

b

: to produce by natural evolutionary processes

c

: develop, work out

… evolve social, political, and literary philosophies.

—L. W. Doob

intransitive verb

: to undergo evolutionary change

evolvable

i-ˈväl-və-bəl 

-ˈvȯl-, 

ē-

also -ˈvä-və-

or -ˈvȯ-və-

adjective

evolvement

i-ˈvälv-mənt 

-ˈvȯlv-, 

ē-

also -ˈväv-

or -ˈvȯv-

noun

Synonyms of evolve

• unfold
• grow
• develop
• progress

Examples of evolve in a Sentence

Her company has evolved from a hobby into a thriving business.

Some flowers have evolved remarkable means of insect pollination.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a time of listening to your inner voice and using it as a catalyst to evolve. —Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2026

The protests quickly evolved into a nationwide uprising led largely by women and young people. —Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026

Unfolding in 1870s Oxford with adventures abroad, the series will expose the early antics of the anarchic adolescent who is yet to evolve into Baker Street’s most renowned resident. —Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2026

In a week that saw the Berlin Film Festival and then the Baftas make headlines with stories that evolved by the day if not the hour, probably few in the media had the time or the energy to dive into Marco Bellocchio’s six-part miniseries Portobello, which made its streaming debut last weekend. —Damon Wise, Deadline, 1 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin ēvolvere "to roll out or away, unwind, unroll, narrate (a series of events)," from ē-, variant of ex- ex- entry 1 before voiced consonants + volvere "to set in a circular course, cause to roll, bring round" — more at wallow entry 1

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for evolve

• absolve
• devolve
• dissolve
• involve
• resolve
• revolve
• solve

Kids Definition

evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv 

-ˈvȯlv

evolved; evolving

1

: to develop or work out from something else

evolved a new plan

evolved a safer design from the old one

2

: to produce by a process of evolution

3

: to change by a process of evolution

evolvable

i-ˈväl-və-bəl 

-ˈvȯl-

adjective

Medical Definition

evolve

verb

i-ˈvälv, -ˈvȯlv 

evolved; evolving

transitive verb

: to produce by natural evolutionary processes

intransitive verb

: to develop by or as if by evolution : undergo evolutionary change

an evolving theory of mental functioning

—S. A. Green